Hello, LM-Netters.
I thought it would be helpful to post the collection of sage and tactful
advice I received when I posted the question to the listserv about a
teacher/parent asking why I didn't mark out the curse words in Kira-Kira.
Below are the responses:
It is such a dilemma. I think that even teachers figure we have read every
single book in our collections, which of course is not the case. And it is
actually true that some very good literature might have a curse word or 2 in
it. Does this teacher / mom really figure that her daughter learned a new
word by reading KIRA KIRA?
I would simply tell your teachers that the best literature holds up a mirror
to real life. That marking bad words out of a book with sharpies is not
going to protect their child from ever learning of their existence.
Books help children experience life--the good and the bad, vicariously and
safely.
Their child is going to encounter people who use these words and must learn
how to deal with them when it happens. Do they cover their ears and run
from the room, crying? Do they take the speaker to task? Do they ignore it
and rise above it?
What happens if a child who has been overly protected gets to be 16 and gets
a job? And then their boss blurts out a cuss word. If they react in an
immature or chastizing manner, they may not have a job for long.
It all depends on the appropriateness of the word(s) to the situation in
literature. It is hard for some people to get beyond the words. Years ago I
did a workshop with high school students on the black experience. Someone
complained about the language in Manchild in the Promised Land. One of my
teen panelists said,"When you sister has just come home raped and your
mother is drunk and the police come in to tell you that your father has been
shot in a drive-by indicent, you don't sah, "ah schuck". That said it all.
You could say that good authors use vernacular--including 'cussing'--in
their dialogue because it's authentic. And, in situations like realistic
fiction, the power of the work depends on an authentic foundation.
As far as the question of you personally altering the text, maybe people
need to be reminded that novels are works of art. I'd tell them that I'd no
sooner presume to alter the text of a Newbery-winning novel than I would
presume to put a bra on the Venus de Milo.
I tell our kids, parents and teachers the following; There are no bad words,
just words used badly. If the word fits the story and the author's purpose,
then it needs to be there. If it's gratuitous, then I don't have the book in
our collection. I do not censor books, I select them.
I might have said something to the effect of..." I'm not a censor, I don't
decide what is appropriate and not appropriate for a particular student to
read.
That's your job as a parent, and I wouldn't dream of trying to pre-empt you.
"
Then refer them to the ALA Reader's Bill of Rights.
Heard of a similar situation at a middle school where I taught technology.
It was January and the Media Specialist was looking for the swimsuit issue
of Sports Illustrated. He finally discovered that the school secretary took
it on herself to throw it away, because "we don't want our kids looking at
that trash."
I do try to limit the amount of books that I have with cussing but I think
when you marker them out it makes MORE of an impression and kids sometimes
replace them in their mind with even worse swears. That is what I tell
parents. I also try to get books where the swears are by the "bad" people so
I can say that they are just portraying the character the way that he is to
make it authentic. I wish they could just leave it out. It really isn't
necessary for elementary kids.
This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. I am in a very
conservative part of the country, and our parents actually will look through
and often read what their children bring home. It is very discouraging to
me to find so many of the top rated and /or award books from respected
authors now have some profanity, sexual situations, and violence somewhere
in the storyline. I am not prudish at all, but as district supervisor I am
called routinely by irate parents, school administrators, community members,
TV and news writers who have “discovered” something they consider offensive
in our libraries. Captain Underpants and Walter the Farting Dog brought out
the TV and news writers!
I am called on to defend the purchase of the book, and quite frankly, there
are many out there that I can’t defend. Why is it necessary to have
profanity, nudity and more in a K-5 book? I realize that society has
changed and books reflect society, but some of the offerings lately are
really pushing the envelope. Public libraries have much more discretion and
freedom than a school collection in my opinion, as schools are responsible
to the community they serve, and around here, that community pays close
attention to their children’s books.
What I routinely do when a complainant first contacts me is
listen......often they just want to vent. Sometimes that is all it takes. I
agree with their frustration and suggest that they talk to the librarian at
the school and let their concern be known. If there are particular books
they do not want their child to read they have that choice as a parent. I
try to explain that the school library serves more than 1,000 children whose
families all have different ideas of what is right for their
children......All books are not right for all children....I usually thank
the parent for caring enough to read what their children bring home, and
thank them for bringing that book to our attention. I assure them that the
book will be read by the librarian and committee at that school (in the case
of a non-classic) and the committee will make a recommendation as to whether
or not the book should remain in the collection.
How should you answer a challenge? First of all you should have a policy in
place at your school to handle challenges to books. If the parent formally
challenges the book you should set that policy in motion. If you do not
have one I believe that you can locate a sample on the ALA or AASL site. I
will say that regardless of your policy for the reconsideration of a book,
parents today don’t think anything of bypassing all the school level
administrators and going straight to the superintendent or school board with
their complaints. Email is now a favorite way to send complaints straight
to the top.
Secondly, your system (and school) should have a written book selection
policy that explains how you select the books you put on your shelves. You
should be familiar with the policy and be able to explain how you go through
the book selection process for your orders.
Lastly, you should know what is on your shelves.....read the books and
decide whether or not they are worthy of your defense. Will I go to battle
for To Kill A Mockingbird......YES! Will I go to battle for a teenage pop
fiction book filled with profanity with a storyline about sex, drugs and
murder.......no. Bottom line.....You are responsible for the books in your
collection. Know what you are ordering, and if questionable......read it!
Also, I probably would not have put that book right back on display since
the parent works in your school and just complained about it! You were
inviting comment and/or trouble by doing that. I would have put the book
aside for awhile to let the situation die down, then replaced it on the
shelf if I felt it was a worthy book.
By the way, just because a book wins a major award does not make it
appropriate for all audiences! A Newbery award does not guarantee a book
to be free of controversy.....you still should read the book. My greatest
challenge has been middle school fiction. It is very hard to find new
fiction books for middle school students today that do not have some
profanity, sexual situations and language, gang references, murder, drugs,
shootings etc........often in the titles!
And the covers.............The romance novels of the past have nothing over
the teen novel covers of today!
Anyway, it is a constant challenge. Good luck! It won’t be your
last.......I had another challenge yesterday to another middle school
book.....it never ends! Fortunately this one started with the
librarian.....have to wait to see if the parent forces it to the top!
When I've had kids show me cuss words in books, I talk about movie
ratings and how books could have those types of ratings as well. A book
might be rated PG-13 if someone were to rate it, and if their parents don't
allow them to watch PG-13 movies, then perhaps they should stop reading that
particular book and get one they are more comfortable with.
I don't know if you could modify this type of explanation for another
situation that might occur.
That is a tough one! And we all do the necessary research to make sure a
book would be appropriate for our students - but you can't read every book
to know which ones have "bad" words and which ones don't. I had a hard time
with this too - never confronted by a parent - but I would just tell the
kids that sadly there are some great books out there with some not so great
words in them. That doesn't mean the book is bad. It's like going to see a
movie or even watching a show on TV - sometimes a bad word or two will be
said.
I once taught at a school where it was a routine practice to black out words
on class sets of novels that were offensive. Of course that only served to
draw more attention to the word which can still be read at the right angle.
This topic is one that I never tire of answering, and it seems to be often
anymore. Parents and colleagues get the same types of response.
The book is an example of good literature. You are offended by the
language? Of course return the book, and I would be happy to help you find
a different good book to read. Are there other books with cursing in my
library? Yes, examples of foul and uneducated language, slavery, barbaric
treatment of humans and animals. You will also find historical depictions
of war and other atrocities, and many of them seem offensive to me, too.
However, our library is full of many types of children's literature, and I
am proud of the depth and breadth of our collection. Children can read
heart-warming uplifting stories, and tales of struggle and adversity that
show how the difficulties in life are overcome by persons of character.
That happens in Kira Kira, adversity is overcome by persons of character. I
assume that is one reason is won the top award for children's literature in
America.
My response almost always stays general, and that is the point. Our
literature is for a general audience. Personally, I will NEVER read The
Devil's Arithmetic or I Have Lived a Thousand Days again. They are great
piece of children's literature, but they are too much for my heart to bear.
It is important that we develop the ability to discern our reading, viewing
and audio tastes. Good children's librarians help children develop that
discerning skill.
*******************
Weren't those great? If you are one of those who responded, consider how
blessed you are to be able to verbalize those concepts, and your sharing of
talents is much appreciated!!
Thanks,
MDavis
Media Specialist
Comer GA
bluehilda@hotmail.com
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